Several fights broke out Sunday night near the end of Pittsburgh Three Rivers Regatta festivities, forcing police to close some downtown streets.

Several fights broke out Sunday night near the end of Pittsburgh Three Rivers Regatta festivities, forcing police to close some downtown streets.

Share

Shares

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Updated: 5:28 PM EDT Aug 8, 2016

Hide TranscriptShow Transcript

WEBVTT SAFETY ISSUES AROUND HERE? REPORTER: THAT'S RIGHT. WE ARE IN MARKET SQUARE RIGHT NOW WHERE DURING THE DAY AND WEEKDAYS IN THE EVENING THERE IS PLENTY OF PEOPLE WITHOUT TROUBLE. WITHOUT SOME BIG CITY EVENTS RECENTLY THERE HAVE BEEN INCIDENTS LIKE THIS, POLICE ARE PLEDGING TO DO WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE SURE THIS PROBLEM IS BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL. PHONE VIDEO SHOT BY DOWNTOWN RESTAURANT EMPLOYEE ALEX LOY DESCRIBES WHAT SHE DESCRIBES AT THE CHAOS AND DRAMA OF THE TEEN TROUBLES DOWNTOWN CITY NIGHT. CITY OFFICIALS IN THE D.A.'S OFFICE MET ON THIS TODAY. >> KIDS RANDOMLY STARTED PUSH EACH OTHER AND STARTED FIGHT. A COUPLE OF KIDS RAN INTO OUR RESTAURANT AND TRIED TO HIDE. ONE OF THE GIRLS THAT RAN INTO THE RESTAURANT HAD A KNIFE ON HER. REPORTER: PITTSBURGH POLICE MOVED WITH A STRONG PRESENCE TEMPORARILY SHUTTING DOWN STREETS FOR A TIME. DOWNTOWN MERCHANTS ARE IN TOUCH WITH THE SUBJECT SAFET OFFICIALS. >> CERTAINLY CONCERNING TO US A MERCHANTS, THIS IS OUR LIVELIHOOD, THIS IS OUR STAFF'S LIVELIHOOD. REPORTER: THE SPECTACLE WAS TROUBLE FOR SOME WORKERS WHO WERE TOLD BY POLICE TO STAY INDOORS FOR A TIME. >> THEY WERE IN THE STREETS, THE KIDS WERE FIRING EACH OTHER. I SAW A KID TAKE ANOTHER KID AND THROW HIM AGAINST T CONCRETE. REPORTER: PITTSBURGH POLICE MADE UP TO A HALF DOZEN ARRESTS. >> WE STARTED TARGETING THE PEOPLE THAT WERE DOING THE FIGHTING AND TAKING THEM INTO CUSTODY AND DISPERSING THE GROUPS. REPORTER: THESE SCENES ON DOWNTOWN STREETS ON THE LAST DAY OF THE REGATTA A ECHOED TROUBLES A MONTH AGO AFTER THE FOURTH OF JULY BUT ONE MEMBER OF A MERCHANT'S ASSOCIATION SAYS -- >> WE BELIEVE THAT THE MEETINGS THAT WE'RE HAVING WITH THE CITY ARE GOING TO GET US SOMEWHERE THE FUTURE. REPORTER: AND SUREL BEFORE WE JOINED YOU ON THE AIR WE GOT AN EMAIL UPDATE FROM PUBLI SAFETY DIRECTOR'S OFFICE INDICATING THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND PITTSBURGH POLICE WILL BE STEPPING UP POLICE PRESENCE TO DEAL WITH INCIDENTS LIKE THIS AND THAT THEY WILL BE MEETING WITH OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT, TH D.A.'S OFFICE AND PORT AUTHORITY AND OTHERS TO WORK OUT PLANS COORDINATED TO DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES IN THE FUTURE.

Rumble after the Regatta caught on camera

Several fights broke out Sunday night near the end of Pittsburgh Three Rivers Regatta festivities, forcing police to close some downtown streets.